Record revenue and stumbling projects in Seattle and New York could prompt International Speedway Corporation to accelerate its pursuit of building a Front Range racetrack.

ISC, which owns 12 tracks nationwide that host 19 NASCAR Nextel Cup races this year, has had discussions with various Denver-area representatives about making a third attempt to build a Nextel Cup-worthy track in the area.

Today the publicly owned company will meet with Commerce City officials to talk about plans for a speedway in the city, city councilman Paul Natale said.

“Maybe we are closer than we think we are,” Natale said.

ISC also has spoken to John Bandimere Jr., owner of Bandimere Speedway, a drag racing venue in Morrison, about joining forces, Bandimere confirmed Tuesday. ISC and Bandimere failed to get the proposed WorldPark speedway venture up and running in Arapahoe County in 2000.

“We’ve always said that we’re interested in the market and recognize that there are a lot of fans that support racing in Colorado,” ISC spokesman Wes Harris said Tuesday. “Long term, we think Denver is a logical place for us to have a presence, and hopefully that will happen.”

Former Commerce City manager Perry VanDeventer met with ISC officials several times, but VanDeventer has since resigned and the Adams County district attorney is investigating his involvement in alleged hit-and-run incidents.

Aurora is another city under consideration for a track, Natale said. Rene Bullock, Commerce City’s mayor pro-tem, said he’s pleased his city is in the running.

“But I’ve heard there are at least five other sites being considered, so I don’t even want to speculate at this point,” Bullock said.

ISC previously tried to build a Denver- area track, only to see plans fall apart in Aurora and Arapahoe County because of political or public uproar. In addition, Penske Motorsports previously failed to build in Adams County in the late 1990s.

ISC currently is trying to build racetracks in Seattle and New York, but both venues have hit snags. The Seattle venture, one that some motorsports experts have considered dead, is a “public-private partnership that is going to require state legislation,” Harris said.

The New York site also faces hurdles.

“It’s a site that requires land-use change,” Harris said. “It’s currently zoned for industrial, so we have to go through a land-use approval process and build political support.”

Denver may be more attractive to ISC if it abandons Seattle or New York. ISC appears to have great financial wherewithal for a move into the Denver market after it reported record earnings for this year’s second quarter, which ended May 31. Total revenues increased from $157.4 million in the first quarter of 2005 to $172.1 million this year, according to the company’s website.

The previous unstable economy hurt ISC since its failed attempt in 2000 to build on Arapahoe County land that was pegged to be annexed into Aurora. ISC renewed its interest in Denver last fall when it bought and closed would-be competitor Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain.

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